Shloka 30

Adhyāya 90: Babhruvāhana’s Reception and the Commencement of Yudhiṣṭhira’s Aśvamedha

Devanagari script

उष्णार्तश्न क्षुधार्तश्न विप्रस्तपसि संस्थित:

Transliteration

Nakula uvāca: uṣṇārtaś ca kṣudhārtaś ca vipras tapasi saṁsthitaḥ, kṣapayāmāsa taṁ kālaṁ kṛcchra-prāṇo dvijottamaḥ.

Translation

那俱罗说道：“那位卓越的婆罗门安住苦行，却同时受酷热与饥饿所逼。其性命仅以极大艰难方得维系，他仍忍受着，让那段时日一点点消磨过去——在匮乏中坚守誓戒，受苦而不弃其修持。”

Word by Word

• उष्णार्तः: afflicted by heat
• उष्णार्तः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उष्ण-आर्त
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• क्षुधार्तः: afflicted by hunger
• क्षुधार्तः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: क्षुधा-आर्त
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• विप्रः: brahmin
• विप्रः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: विप्र
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• तपसि: in austerity / in penance
• तपसि: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: तपस्
• Form: Neuter, Locative, Singular

• संस्थितः: standing/remaining; engaged (in)
• संस्थितः: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-स्था
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular, क्त (past passive participle)

• क्षपयामास: passed (time); caused to elapse
• Type: Verb
• Root: क्षप् (caus.)
• Form: Perfect (periphrastic), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• तम्: that
• तम्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• कालम्: time/period
• कालम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: काल
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• कृच्छ्रप्राणः: barely alive; sustaining life with difficulty
• कृच्छ्रप्राणः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृच्छ्र-प्राण
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• द्विजोत्तमः: best of the twice-born (brahmin)
• द्विजोत्तमः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विज-उत्तम
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

नकुल उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Nakula
• vipra (a Brahmin ascetic)
• dvijottama (the excellent Brahmin)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Steadfastness in dharma and tapas is shown through endurance: even under severe heat and hunger, the ascetic does not abandon discipline, illustrating ethical resilience and commitment to a chosen vow.

What is happening in the narrative?

Nakula describes a Brahmin engaged in austerities who suffers intense heat and hunger yet continues his penance, barely sustaining life while passing the time through hardship without giving up.